Multichamber containers are needed to simultaneously dispense products. Although the products in the chambers of these containers can be the same, they usually will be different. They will differ in at least one of composition, color and rheology. In most instances the product will be different in composition. Multichamber containers primarily are used to dispense two or more incompatible substances. Such substances must be kept separate until the time of use. Although various dispensing containers have been used to simultaneously dispense two different components of a product, such as an adhesive, it is only now that it also is desired to dispense the substances in an aesthetically pleasing manner. This is particularly the case in the dispensing of cosmetics, dentifrices and related personal care products. Also, in order to convey to the user that more than one product is being dispensed it is desirable to have the products be of two or more different colors. In this way the user can visually see that more than one product is being dispensed. This also is valuable in order for the user to see that the desired amount of each product is being simultaneously dispensed. When equal amounts are to be dispensed, if the amounts of each color are visually about equal, the user is assured that equal amounts are being dispensed. If the amounts of each color are not equal, more of one product can be added to equalize the amounts from by the manipulation of the dispensing container.
Dual chamber tubes as one type of multichamber container have been known for many years. These tubes can be of two general types. These are the "tube-in-a-tube" type and the "side-by-side" chamber type. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,699,532; 2,939,610 and 4,211,341 disclose the "tube-in-a-tube" type of dual chamber dispenser. In this type of container, one tube is concentrically disposed within the other tube. The "side-by-side" tube containers are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,894,115; 3,227,319; 3,506,157; 3,788,520 and 4,089,437. In each of these patents the chambers are located longitudinally adjacent to each other with the tubular container sidewall forming a wall of each chamber. These two different general types of tube containers will deliver two separate streams of product. However, the "side-by-side" arrangement has been found to be most effective to deliver substantially equivalent amounts of product from each chamber.
Various striping inserts have been used with tube containers in order to place a small amount of one product onto surface another product. The objective usually is to place a color stripe on the exterior surface of a larger mass of a noncolored product. These inserts guide and place a small amount of a product on a larger amount of a product. Striping inserts are illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,935,231; 2,959,327; 3,135,428; 4,842,164; 4,969,767 and 5,102,013. These inserts are used primarily with single chamber tube containers where one product is located above the other in the tube. The net result of the use of such an insert is that the delivered product can be composed of two or more different colors.
Another type of a multichamber container is the pump. Such pumps contain two or more separate chambers. When a force is applied to the pump actuating surface, each of the contained substances is dispensed. Multichamber pump containers are illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,166,221; 5,289,949; 5,332,124; and 5,335,827.
In each of these patents disclosing dual chamber containers, there is a direct relationship between the tube nozzle channels and the chambers in the tube. For tubes, each of the chambers terminate in a D-shaped channel in the nozzle for products in a side-by-side orientation in the container or in a concentric arrangement for products in a concentric tube-in-a-tube orientation. For pumps the products also usually will be dispensed in side-by-side D-shaped strands. That is, the products are dispensed in the same form as they are when located within the tube. When the products are of different colors, they are delivered in side-by-side D-shaped strands or concentrically. There is no disclosure in any of these references of how to in deliver the product in each chamber in other than this side-by-side D-shaped strand arrangement or concentrically.
The present invention solves the problem of delivering products from a container where the products are in a "side-by-side" orientation, such as in a tube or a pump, in other than side-by-side D-shaped strands. In the present container nozzle configurations, the products can be delivered in various arrays from alternating segments to partially or fully concentric arrays. The alternating segments can be linear, triangular or other shapes. By designing the channels in the container nozzle to direct the flow of each product, the strands of each product also can be in a large number of different arrays. The container body remains the same and the attachment of the chamber divider walls to the container shoulder nozzle remains essentially the same. The arrangement, i.e. plumbing, of the channels that will deliver the products to the exit of the container will cause the products to be delivered in the different arrays.